Reflection Week 8 - Where do we go from her?

 This semester I have been exposed to a variety of technologies, read researched studies to increase my knowledge, I developed an educational philosophy, a blog, a wiki, and more. Learning about Web 2.0 tools has caused me to think about the endless possibilities of using these types of technologies in the library.  Two websites I will refer back to for Web 2.0 online tools are GO2WEB20 and eLearning.  I would have to say learning to creating a podcast has changed my instructional time in the library.  Podcasts are easy to create using Jing and they allow me to individualize instruction by sharing them with the students.  This permits me to be more available to my students while using the podcasts with small groups. 

One project I am very proud of is the wiki I created, Library Beginnings.  I opened a new library this year and would have loved to have had a source like this to guide me through the process.  I hope experienced librarians will add their knowledge and this will help other librarians who have the wonderful task of opening a new library.

I plan to use my blog by reviewing what I have posted from this course.  I intend to add new information from my readings. I plan to share much of this information with my teachers.  It is nice to have it all in one place.  I wish I would have started a blog before school started about opening the new library.  I could have made entries on a daily basis to help other librarians opening a new library. 

The Standards for the 21^st Century Learner requires students to construct knowledge through the exploration and analysis of ideas, information, and point of view, and to communicate their learning through authentic, transfer-oriented tasks.

Reflection Week 7 - iGoogle

Yes, I do iGoogle and have for some time.  I first got my Google account back in 2002 when a colleague suggested I join.  You had to be invited by someone who was a user, so he emailed the invitation and I created my account. So many gadgets have been added to the Google gadgets.  This is a great way to personalize and organize your information.  Some people do like to use this as their homepage because they can get their email easily and so much more is all on one webpage.  I have my Gmail on my iGoogle page along with my calendar, locate weather, Today’s Spotlight Video on YouTube for fun, and two news gadgets as I am a “news junky”.   When I worked at a job where I had to travel, I had Google Map Search right at hand.  I would like to suggest you check out one of my favorite gadgets Places to See.  The pictures change very often.      

As I was looking and thinking about my iGoogle homepage, I noticed the calendar.  I know 2^nd grade was working on the concept a few weeks ago because I pulled some library books for them.  I got to thinking how I could use this technology with the students.  I took a lesson I remembered teaching on reading analog and digital clocks and added the Google Calendar.  I made a podcast showing the calendar entitled Using the Google Calendar.  http://screencast.com/t/aWcQrrwyxT    It got a little complicated when I was thinking of the students’ using it.  The students do not have an account so I decided to print the calendar and they could color in their daily schedule.  I thought this was really cool for the young students to develop a calendar just like many adults do.

There are so many changes ahead of us as educators and librarians. We must stay current with technology and apply it to learning.  Both videos provoked much thought, for instance, what will a classroom look like in the next 5 years?  What devices will students bring into the classroom?  Our students do not know a world without technology.   We have to help these 21^st century learners be competitive in the global world.  We have to prepare our students for what the future holds for them.  When the students held up the boards that said “Teach me to think” and “Engage me” I had to stop a take a breath.  To me that was powerful.  Students can learn from so many different sources.  Using technology is a great way to accomplish these learning goals by using podcasts, videos, the Internet, Web 2.0 tools and more.